Celebration hogi jab Olympic gold ayega, declares Vinesh Phogat
Naina Arora
Vinesh Phogat is closer to her Olympic dream than ever before. The wrestler, who had to be stretchered off the mat in the Rio Olympics, is back, winning bronze at the World Championships and becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to seal a quota place in the Tokyo Olympics (2020). Back to her Kharkhoda (Haryana) home, Vinesh, one of the Phogat sisters, couldn’t be more thrilled, but says the celebration will have to wait for “jab Olympic gold ayega”.
“Main World Championship pe nahin rukna chahti, ki maine kuch bahut bada achieve kar liya.I’ll celebrate when my target is fulfilled, aur target hai Olympic gold,” says the 25-year-old.
Her win was followed by congratulatory tweets. For instance, the men’s cricket team captain Virat Kohli tweeted: “Superb performance by @Phogat_Vinesh, for winning the Bronze medal at the World Championships and congratulations on qualifying for the @Tokyo2020 @Olympics (sic).” Boxer Vijender Singh tweeted “more power” to the athlete.
“I had a different journey till the World Championships, and will have a different one now. The burden to qualify for the Olympics gone, I have a year to prepare. Mujhe mera raasta mil gaya hai,” says Vinesh, who has won the wrestling gold at both the Asian as well as the Commonwealth Games.
Champions are not born but made. And Vinesh, who shifted her weight category (from 50kg to 53kg), feels any athlete who comes out of their comfort zone becomes a champion.“Since I got bronze, I’d like to believe I only worked hard enough for bronze, ya mere andar abhi aur kamiyaan hain. I want to change the bronze medal to gold at the Olympics,” she adds.
A “moody athlete” by her own admission, she loves listening to singer Arijit Singh and reading motivational and self-help books to calm down. “It’s a big deal [to change categories]. I brought medals in the 50kg category, but changing it led to change in opponents, too... and strategy. My coach (Woller Akos) really pushed me,” she says. Biopic? Out of the question, as Vinesh is focused on her game now.
Over the years, Ayushmann Khurrana has proved his mettle with roles most actors wouldn’t dream of taking up. But he not only took the challenge with quirky roles, he also managed to strike the right chord with audiences and critics alike.
Basking in the glory of his latest release, Dream Girl, the actor says one definitely needs to have a proper plan in place to begin with. Whether it works out or not is another master plan. “One needs to have a vision, a certain game plan to move ahead and sustain in the industry. Things might not go as planned but gradually it shapes up. That’s how I prefer working,” says Ayushmann, whose Article 15 earlier this year also received rave reviews.
“It’s overwhelming when the audiences love your work and even the critics appreciate your effort. This not only acts as an encouragement, but also gives you a lot of confidence to do better,” adds the 35-year-old.
The last couple of years have been quite eventful for the actor, with a string of hits including Bareilly Ki Barfi and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (both 2017) and Badhaai Ho and Andhadhun (both 2018). Ayushmann asserts that stories have mattered to him more than everything else. “The moment I get a good script and I get into the groove of the film, I forget everything else. I need such stories to get the best out of me. Since the beginning of my career, I’ve been very particular about the kind of narratives I’d like to be a part of. Now that they’re in focus, I feel so much more in place,” explains the actor, whose choice of scripts is evident from the kind of films he has been associated with so far.
And even his upcoming ones are ‘different’. He’ll be seen in Bala (about a man who is trying to cope with premature balding), Gulabo Sitabo (highlighting the common man’s struggles) and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (an LGBTQ love story).
Besides acting, Ayushmann has also impressed with his singing and writing skills, right from his Bollywood debut in Vicky Donor (2012), in which he sang Pani Da Rang. The actor feels in today’s time, a few extra talents always help. “It’s good if you are multi-talented. But when you’re working, it’s important to stay focused in what you’re doing at that time. I have multiple passions and I need to take that extra time out for everything. That they are interconnected, helps. Basically, I’m mostly an actor, who enjoys music and also poetry,” he adds.
Shreya Mukherjee